History of Simone Biles in Timeline

Simone Biles is an American artistic gymnast, renowned as the most decorated gymnast in history with 11 Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals. She is considered one of the greatest gymnasts and Olympians of all time. Her 11 Olympic medals tie her with Věra Čáslavská as the second-most decorated female Olympic gymnast and give her the record for most Olympic medals earned by any U.S. gymnast.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

1933: Al Jochim's Record

In 1933, Al Jochim won his seventh national title.

1958: Tied Record at World Championships

In 1958, Larisa Latynina and Boris Shakhlin accomplished winning five gold medals at a single World Championships, a record that Simone Biles later tied.

1971: Linda Metheny Mulvihill's accomplishment

In 1971, Linda Metheny Mulvihill was 24 years and 100 days old when she won a national title.

1988: Reference to Daniela Silivaș

In 1988, Daniela Silivaș won a medal on every event at a single Olympics or World Championships, the last gymnast to do so before Simone Biles.

1991: Shannon Miller reference

In 1991, Shannon Miller was the last American gymnast to qualify to the all-around and all four event finals before Simone Biles.

1993: Reference to Shannon Miller

In 1993, Shannon Miller was the American woman that repeated as world all-around champion, before Simone Biles.

1994: Reference to Shannon Miller

In 1994, Shannon Miller was the American woman that repeated as world all-around champion, before Simone Biles.

1996: Reference to Lilia Podkopayeva

In 1996, Lilia Podkopayeva held both the Olympics and the World Championships individual all-around titles simultaneously, the last gymnast to do so before Simone Biles.

March 14, 1997: Simone Biles Born

On March 14, 1997, Simone Arianne Biles Owens was born. She later became an accomplished American artistic gymnast.

Others born on this day/year

2000: Grandparents Become Caretakers

In 2000, Simone Biles' maternal grandfather, Ron Biles, and his wife, Nellie Cayetano Biles, began temporarily caring for Simone and her siblings in Spring, Texas.

2001: Start of Márta Károlyi's Tenure

In 2001, Márta Károlyi began her tenure as the National Team Coordinator, which lasted until 2016.

2001: Reference to Svetlana Khorkina

In 2001, Svetlana Khorkina was a gymnast that repeated as world all-around champion, before Simone Biles.

2003: Adoption by Grandparents

In 2003, Simone Biles and her younger sister Adria were formally adopted by her maternal grandfather, Ron Biles, and his wife, Nellie Cayetano Biles.

2003: Reference to Svetlana Khorkina

In 2003, Svetlana Khorkina was a gymnast that repeated as world all-around champion, before Simone Biles.

2008: Hong Un Jong reference

In 2008, Hong Un Jong of North Korea was an Olympic gold medalist.

2009: Nastia Liukin wins ESPY Award for Best Female Athlete

In 2009, Nastia Liukin became the first gymnast to win the ESPY Award for Best Female Athlete.

2010: Aliya Mustafina reference

In 2010, Aliya Mustafina was the world all-around champion.

July 1, 2011: Elite Gymnastics Career Begins

On July 1, 2011, Simone Biles began her elite gymnastics career at age 14 at the 2011 American Classic in Houston.

2012: Reference to Olympic Champions

In 2012, Gabby Douglas was the Olympic all-around champion, and Aly Raisman was the Olympic beam bronze medalist, both competing against Simone Biles at the U.S. Classic in 2015.

2012: American Classic

In 2012, Simone Biles competed at the American Classic in Huntsville, Texas, placing first all-around and on vault.

2012: USA Gymnastics National Championships

In 2012, Simone Biles competed at the USA Gymnastics National Championships and was named to the U.S. Junior National Team.

2012: Switched to Home Schooling

In 2012, Simone Biles switched from public school to home schooling, allowing her to increase her training hours.

October 2013: Surgery for bone spurs

In October 2013, Simone Biles had surgery for bone spurs in her right tibia, which sidelined her for three weeks.

2013: World Championship Success

In 2013, Simone Biles became the individual all-around champion and floor exercise champion at the World Championships. She also won a bronze medal on balance beam.

2013: City of Jesolo Trophy and Tri-Meet in Chemnitz

In 2013, Simone Biles competed at the City of Jesolo Trophy, winning several titles. She also participated in an international tri-meet in Chemnitz, Germany, winning multiple titles.

2013: U.S. National All-Around Championship Win

In 2013, Simone Biles won the United States national all-around championship.

2013: U.S. National Gymnastics Championships

In August 2013, Simone Biles competed at the U.S. National Gymnastics Championships and was crowned the national all-around champion. She was also named to the Senior National Team and selected for the World Championships team.

2013: U.S. Classic Performance and Consultation with Sports Psychologist

In July 2013, Simone Biles competed poorly at the U.S. Classic. Following this, she consulted a sports psychologist, who helped her with anxiety and confidence issues.

2013: Senior International Debut

In March 2013, Simone Biles made her senior international debut at the American Cup, a FIG World Cup event, finishing second after a fall off the beam.

March 2014: Shoulder injury and withdrawal from American Cup

In March 2014, Simone Biles had a shoulder injury that led her to withdraw from the March 2014 American Cup.

August 4, 2014: Verbal Commitment to UCLA

On August 4, 2014, Simone Biles verbally committed to UCLA.

November 2014: Signed National Letter of Intent to UCLA

In November 2014, Simone Biles signed a National Letter of Intent to UCLA, planning to defer enrollment until after the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

2014: Reference to MyKayla Skinner

In 2014, MyKayla Skinner was a Worlds vault bronze medalist, competing against Simone Biles at the U.S. Classic in 2015.

2014: World Championship Success

In 2014, Simone Biles became the balance beam champion at the World Championships and a member of the gold medal-winning United States team. She also won a silver medal on vault.

2014: 2014 Season

In 2014, Simone Biles missed the start of the season due to injury but later won the all-around at the U.S. Classic and repeated as national all-around champion at the USA Gymnastics National Championships.

2014: Named individual Sportswoman of the Year

In 2014, Simone Biles was named individual Sportswoman of the Year by the Women's Sports Foundation, and after the world championships, she was named one of ESPNW's Impact 25.

2014: 2014 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships

On September 17, 2014, Simone Biles was selected to compete at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Nanning, China. She led the United States to its second consecutive world team championship and won her second consecutive world all-around title.

July 2015: Signed with Octagon sports agency

In July 2015, Simone Biles signed with the Octagon sports agency.

July 29, 2015: Turned Professional

On July 29, 2015, Simone Biles announced that she would turn professional and forfeit her NCAA eligibility to compete for UCLA.

November 2015: Sponsorship by Nike

In November 2015, Simone Biles announced on Twitter her sponsorship by Nike.

November 23, 2015: Deal with GK Elite Sportswear

On November 23, 2015, Simone Biles signed a deal to allow GK Elite Sportswear to sell a line of leotards bearing her name.

December 2015: Named Team USA Female Olympic Athlete of the Year

In December 2015, Simone Biles was named Team USA Female Olympic Athlete of the Year, making her the fourth gymnast to win the honor.

2015: World Championship Success

In 2015, Simone Biles became a member of the gold medal-winning United States team. She also won a bronze medal on vault.

2015: 2015 Competitions

In 2015, Simone Biles competed at the AT&T American Cup, placing first. Later that month, she was nominated for the James E. Sullivan Award and won the all-around title at the City of Jesolo Trophy.

2015: 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships

In 2015, Simone Biles was selected to represent the United States at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. She qualified in first place in the all-around, vault, beam, and floor finals. In team finals, she helped the United States win their third consecutive gold medal at a World Championships event. She became the first woman to win three consecutive all-around titles in World Gymnastics Championships history, also setting a record for most World Championships medals (14) and gold medals (10) for an American woman.

2015: Third all-around national title

In 2015, Simone Biles won her third all-around national title at the U.S. National Championships, becoming only the second woman to achieve this feat 23 years after Kim Zmeskal.

August 2016: Kellogg's Special Berries Gold Medal Edition

In August 2016, Kellogg's put the Final Five's picture on the Gold Medal Edition of Special Berries cereal.

September 2016: Spokesperson for Mattress Firm

In September 2016, Simone Biles became a spokesperson for Mattress Firm's program of supporting foster homes.

September 2016: Disclosure of ADHD and medication use

In September 2016, following a hack into the World Anti-Doping Agency, Simone Biles disclosed on Twitter that she has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and was permitted to take medication for it, having received a therapeutic use exemption. She was applauded for her openness.

December 2016: Chosen as one of the sponsors of the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Enterprise

In December 2016, Simone Biles was chosen as one of the sponsors of the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, alongside Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer Katie Ledecky. They are the first Olympians to be given this honor.

2016: Co-wrote autobiography

After the 2016 Rio Games, Biles co-wrote an autobiography with journalist Michelle Burford, Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance.

Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance

Check it on Amazon

2016: U.S. National Championships

At the 2016 U.S. National Championships, Simone Biles won the all-around title by 3.9 points over Aly Raisman. She won gold on vault, floor exercise, and balance beam, placing fourth on uneven bars.

2016: Tide commercial

Before the 2016 Rio Games, Simone Biles appeared in a Tide commercial with gymnasts Dominique Dawes and Nadia Comăneci called "The Evolution of Power".

2016: End of Márta Károlyi's Tenure

In 2016, Márta Károlyi's tenure as the National Team Coordinator ended.

2016: Plans to Defer Enrollment

In 2016, Simone Biles planned to defer her enrollment at UCLA until after the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

2016: Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year & Champion of Champions Award

In 2016, Simone Biles was named Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year and won the Champion of Champions Award.

2016: U.S. National All-Around Championship Win

In 2016, Simone Biles won the United States national all-around championship.

2016: Olympic Games Success

In 2016, Simone Biles won two gold medals in the individual all-around and on vault at the Olympic Games. She was also the champion on floor exercise and won a bronze medal on balance beam. Biles led the United States team, dubbed the "Final Five," to a gold medal.

2016: Women's Qualification at the 2016 Summer Olympics

On August 7, 2016, Simone Biles competed in the Women's Qualification at the 2016 Summer Olympics, helping her team qualify in first place to the final. Individually, she qualified as the top gymnast in the all-around, vault, balance beam, and floor exercise finals.

2016: Selection for 2016 Rio Summer Olympics team

On July 10, 2016, Simone Biles was named to the team for the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics, alongside Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez, Madison Kocian, and Aly Raisman.

January 8, 2017: "Courage to Soar" reached number one on The New York Times best sellers Young Adult list

On January 8, 2017, Simone Biles' autobiography, Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance, reached number one on The New York Times best sellers Young Adult list.

Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance

Check it on Amazon

May 15, 2017: Elimination from Dancing with the Stars

On May 15, 2017, Simone Biles was eliminated from season 24 of Dancing with the Stars, finishing in fourth place.

July 2017: ESPY Award for Best Female Athlete

In July 2017, Simone Biles won the ESPY Award for Best Female Athlete, becoming only the second gymnast to receive this award. The first gymnast to win this award was Nastia Liukin in 2009.

August 2017: Relationship with Stacey Ervin Jr.

In August 2017, Simone Biles began a relationship with fellow gymnast Stacey Ervin Jr.

September 2017: Disclosure of ADHD diagnosis

In September 2017, Simone Biles spoke about having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) after her medical records were leaked online. She revealed that she had been taking Ritalin to treat the condition during the Olympics, having been diagnosed as a child.

2017: Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year

In 2017, Simone Biles won the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year.

2017: Return to gym and new coach

In August of 2017, Simone Biles returned to the gym to start conditioning. In October 2017, Biles hired Laurent Landi as her coach after Aimee Boorman moved to Florida.

2017: Return to the National Team

On March 1, 2017, Simone Biles was added back to the National Team after the Athlete Selection Committee reviewed her recent performances. Later in the year at the U.S. Classic in July, she won the all-around title, as well as gold medals on floor and balance beam.

2017: Named elements

Simone Biles's named elements on vault, balance beam, and floor exercise introduced during the 2017–2021 quad are the most difficult elements on each apparatus (the Biles on beam, Biles on vault, and Biles II on floor).

January 18, 2018: Statement on Larry Nassar's abuse

On January 18, 2018, Simone Biles said that former USA Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar had sexually assaulted her and that USA Gymnastics helped cover it up.

May 2018: Arthur Ashe Courage Award

In May 2018, it was announced that Simone Biles and other survivors would be awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.

2018: 2018 Youth Olympics

At the 2018 Youth Olympics, the mixed multi-discipline teams were named for gymnastics legends, including Simone Biles. The team named for Biles won gold.

2018: World Championship Success

In 2018, Simone Biles became the individual all-around champion, floor exercise champion, and vault champion at the World Championships and a member of the gold medal-winning United States team. She also won a silver medal on uneven bars and a bronze medal on balance beam.

2018: Broken toe and kidney stone

In 2018, Simone Biles suffered a broken toe and a kidney stone.

2018: Champion of Champions Award

In 2018, Simone Biles won the Champion of Champions Award.

2018: U.S. National All-Around Championship Win

In 2018, Simone Biles won the United States national all-around championship and won all five gold medals in a single championship.

2018: Collaboration with Caboodles

In 2018, Simone Biles worked with Caboodles to create and market products for women with active lifestyles.

2018: 2018 National Championships

In August 2018, at the National Championships, Simone Biles placed first in every event, the first woman to do so since 1994. She won her fifth national all-around title, and was named to her seventh national team.

2018: World Team Selection Camp

In October 2018, Simone Biles participated in the World Team Selection Camp, placing first in the all-around, vault, and floor exercise. She also debuted a new vault, which was later named the Biles.

February 2019: Laureus World Sports Award

In February 2019, Simone Biles was named Laureus World Sports Award in the category of Sportswoman of the Year for the second time.

November 2019: People's Choice Award for The Game Changer of 2019

In November 2019, Simone Biles won the People's Choice Award for The Game Changer of 2019.

2019: World Championship Success

In 2019, Simone Biles became the individual all-around champion, floor exercise champion, balance beam champion, and vault champion at the World Championships and a member of the gold medal-winning United States team.

2019: Competed at the 2019 GK US Classic

In 2019, Simone Biles competed at the GK US Classic, where she performed a triple-twisting double-tucked salto backwards during podium training but not in the competition. She won the all-around, placed fifth on bars, third on beam, and first on floor exercise, also achieving the highest single vault score.

2019: Competed at the 2019 U.S. National Gymnastics Championships

In 2019, Simone Biles competed at the U.S. National Gymnastics Championships. She placed first in the all-around and became the first woman to complete a triple twisting double somersault on floor exercise and a double twisting double somersault dismount off the balance beam, also placing first on vault, balance beam, and floor exercise, and third on uneven bars.

2019: Competed at the US World Championships trials

In 2019, Simone Biles competed at the US World Championships trials, where she placed first in the all-around despite falling on her dismount off the uneven bars. She earned a place on the team that would compete at the 2019 World Championships in Stuttgart, and her teammates Sunisa Lee, Kara Eaker, MyKayla Skinner, Jade Carey, and Grace McCallum were also named to the team.

2019: Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year & Champion of Champions Award

In 2019, Simone Biles was named Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year and won the Champion of Champions Award.

2019: Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year

In 2019, Simone Biles won the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year.

2019: U.S. National All-Around Championship Win

In 2019, Simone Biles won the United States national all-around championship.

February 2020: Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year

In February 2020, Simone Biles was awarded the Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year for the second consecutive year and third time overall.

March 2020: End of relationship with Stacey Ervin Jr.

In March 2020, Simone Biles' relationship with Stacey Ervin Jr. ended.

August 2020: Relationship with Jonathan Owens

In August 2020, Simone Biles started dating professional American football player Jonathan Owens after they met through the dating app Raya.

2020: 2020 Summer Olympics

At the 2020 Summer Olympics, Simone Biles withdrew from most of the competition after the qualification round due to "the twisties." She won a silver medal with the United States team nicknamed the "Fighting Four".

2020: Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year

In 2020, Simone Biles won the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year.

2020: Qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games

In 2020, at the Olympic Games held in July and August 2021, Simone Biles performed the all-around during the qualifications and helped the United States qualify for the team final, in second place behind the Russian team. Despite some mistakes, Biles still qualified for the all-around final in first place and also qualified for the vault, floor exercise, balance beam, and uneven bars finals. She was the only athlete to qualify for all the individual finals.

February 2021: Criticism of ESPN's SportsCenter

In February 2021, Simone Biles criticized ESPN's SportsCenter for excluding women athletes in their "Greatest of All Time" picture.

April 2021: Apparel sponsorship with Athleta

In April 2021, Simone Biles announced that she was leaving Nike for a new apparel sponsorship with the Gap's Athleta brand.

May 2021: First woman to complete a Yurchenko double piked on vault

In May 2021, Simone Biles became the first woman to complete a Yurchenko double piked on the vault during competition.

July 28, 2021: Biles withdrew from the finals of the individual all-around competition

On July 28, 2021, Simone Biles withdrew from the finals of the individual all-around competition, citing mental health concerns. She would later withdraw from more event finals.

September 15, 2021: Testimony to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee

On September 15, 2021, Simone Biles testified to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee that she blamed "the entire system" for enabling and perpetuating Nassar's crimes, saying that USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee "failed to do their jobs".

September 2021: Appearance on Time 100

In September 2021, Simone Biles appeared on the Time 100, an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world, for "championing mental health".

2021: U.S. National All-Around Championship Win

In 2021, Simone Biles won the United States national all-around championship.

February 15, 2022: Engagement to Jonathan Owens

On February 15, 2022, Simone Biles announced her engagement to Jonathan Owens.

July 7, 2022: Presidential Medal of Freedom

On July 7, 2022, Simone Biles was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest honor given to civilians, by President Joe Biden in a ceremony at the White House.

2022: Skills valued at H or higher in the 2022–2024 Code of Points on floor exercise

As of 2024, Simone Biles is the sole gymnast to have competed four skills valued at H or higher in the 2022–2024 Code of Points on floor exercise.

2022: Presidential Medal of Freedom Awarded

In 2022, President Joe Biden awarded Simone Biles the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

April 22, 2023: Marriage to Jonathan Owens

On April 22, 2023, Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens got married.

December 2023: Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year

In December 2023, Simone Biles was named Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year for the third time in her career.

December 19, 2023: Controversial comments on The Pivot Podcast

On December 19, 2023, Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens went viral for an interview on The Pivot Podcast, where Owens made controversial comments about their relationship.

2023: Attended the U.S. women's selection camp

In 2023, Simone Biles attended the U.S. women's selection camp for the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships and 2023 Pan American Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Katy, Texas. Despite two falls, she won the first day of competition with an all-around score of 55.700, which granted her automatic qualification to the U.S. Worlds team.

2023: World Championship Success

In 2023, Simone Biles became the individual all-around champion, floor exercise champion, balance beam champion, and a member of the gold medal-winning United States team at the World Championships. She also won a silver medal on vault.

2023: Return to competition at the 2023 U.S. Classic

In 2023, Simone Biles returned to competition at the U.S. Classic, held on August 5. She competed in all four events, securing an all-around score of 59.100. Biles also placed first on balance beam and floor exercise, and obtained the necessary qualification score to advance to the 2023 U.S. National Championships.

2023: Eighth U.S. Gymnastics Title

In 2023, Simone Biles won her eighth U.S. Gymnastics title, breaking the 90-year-old U.S. Gymnastics title record previously held by Alfred Jochim.

2023: U.S. National All-Around Championship Win

In 2023, Simone Biles won the United States national all-around championship.

2023: Routine on vault

Simone Biles' 2023 routine on vault is the most difficult ever performed in women's artistic gymnastics.

2023: Hillary Heron performs the Biles I on floor

Until Hillary Heron of Panama performed the Biles I on floor at the 2023 World Championships, Biles was the sole gymnast to have performed any of these skills in an FIG international competition.

April 2024: Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year

In April 2024, Simone Biles was awarded her fourth career Laureus World Sports Award in the category of Comeback of the Year.

July 2024: Best Comeback Athlete ESPY Award

In July 2024, Simone Biles was awarded the Best Comeback Athlete ESPY Award.

2024: Calf injury at the Olympic Games

At the 2024 Olympic Games, Simone Biles aggravated a calf injury in her left leg during the qualification round.

2024: Participated in the ceremonial passing of the Olympic flag

In 2024, Simone Biles participated in the ceremonial passing of the Olympic flag at the closing ceremony, signifying the end of the 2024 Paris Olympics and the transition into the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

2024: Comeback of the Year

In 2024, Simone Biles won the Laureus Comeback of the Year.

2024: U.S. National All-Around Championship Win

In 2024, Simone Biles won the United States national all-around championship, becoming the oldest female gymnast to ever win the title. She also won all five gold medals in a single championship.

2024: Olympic Games Success

In 2024, Simone Biles won two gold medals in the individual all-around and on vault at the Olympic Games. She also won a silver medal on floor exercise. Biles led the United States team, dubbed the "Golden Girls," to a gold medal.

2024: New skill submission for the code of points

In 2024, ahead of the Paris Olympics, Simone Biles submitted a new skill for the code of points for the uneven bars, a Weiler kip with 1.5 pirouette, potentially making her the only female gymnast with a skill named on every apparatus, although she did not ultimately compete the skill.

2024: Selected to Represent the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics

In 2024, at the Olympic trials, Simone Biles placed first in the all-around, second on uneven bars, fourth on balance beam, and first on floor exercise. Despite falling off the balance beam on day two of the competition, she still won by over five points ahead of the runner-up Sunisa Lee. After the competition, she was selected to represent the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics alongside Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Lee, and Hezly Rivera.

2024: Response to criticism of Jonathan Owens

In April of 2024, on the Call Her Daddy podcast, regarding the controversy surrounding Jonathan Owens' comments, Simone Biles said, "I thought it was hilarious at first and then they hurt my feelings... One night, I broke down and I'm like, why are you guys talking about my husband like this? You don't know him, you don't know who he is."

2024: Routine on floor exercise

Simone Biles' 2024 routine on floor exercise is the most difficult ever performed in women's artistic gymnastics. As of 2024, she is the sole gymnast to have competed four skills valued at H or higher in the 2022–2024 Code of Points on floor exercise.